During the past two centuries, humans have switched from plant-derived energy materials to coal and oil. But as we gradually exhaust our supplies of such fossil fuels, the time for renewable energy sources is approaching.

The elemental composition and morphology of aerobic granules in sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) treating high-nitrogen digester supernatant was investigated. The investigation particularly focused on the effect of the number of anoxic phases (one vs. two) in the cycle and the dose of external organics loading (450 mg COD/(L·cycle) vs. 540 mg COD/(L·cycle)) on granule characteristics. Granules in all reactors were formed of many single cells of rod and spherical bacteria. Addition of the second anoxic phase in the GSBR cycle resulted in enhanced settling properties of the granules of about 10.6% and at the same time decreased granule diameter of about 19.4%. The study showed that external organics loading was the deciding factor in the elemental composition of biomass. At 540 mg COD/(L·cycle) the granules contained more weight% of C, S and N, suggesting more volatile material in the granule structure. At lower organics loadings granules had the higher diameter of granules which limited the diffusion of oxygen and favored precipitation of mineral compounds in the granule interior. In this biomass higher content of Mg, P and Ca, was observed.

The pathogenetic bacteria are in flowed to the Dzierżno Duże dam-reservoir by highly polluted Kłodnica River. Their considerable number decreases along with distance within the reservoir. From the Kłodnica River estuary and in the distance 700 m, the water quality is classless (coefficient of Coli - fecal type was 0.002 - 0.008). In the 1500 m distance water quality was III and II class purification. Near the Kłodnica River estuary the number of streptococci fecal-type, rod-shaped bacteria (Clostridium) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was big (MPN 2400). The FC/FS index (fecal coliform/fecal enterococci) was 4. It is indicative of human-fecal pollution. No diversification in the number of staphylococci depending on sample point localization was recorded. The research by traditional and the latest methods did not confirm the presence of Salmonella in the water of reservoir. The investigations of staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa seem to confirm the role of zooplankton as an important element (consumption of biocenosis feeding on bacteria pressure) in the selfpurification processes. The patho-rnicrobiological pollution of the reservoir is a factor, due to recreational function of its east part of.

The phytotoxic effects of fluoride and its derivatives on the seeds and seedlings of the Colobanthus apetalus and Colobanthus quitensis were studied. This is a first study to evaluate the influence of sodium fluoride (NaF) on the morphophysiological and biochemical processes on two Colobanthus species. The influence of various concentrations of NaF (9 mM, 19 mM, 29 mM) on the germination capacity and germination rate of seeds, seedlings growth and the proline content of plant tissues was analyzed under laboratory conditions (20/10°C, 12/12 h). The seeds of C. apetalus were collected from a greenhouse, whereas the seeds of C. quitensis were collected in Antarctica and in a greenhouse (Olsztyn, Poland). The tested concentrations of NaF did not suppress the germination of C. apetalus seeds, but the germination of C. quitensis seeds was inhibited. Sodium fluoride mainly inhibited root growth of C. apetalus and C. quitensis. In both analyzed species, the free proline content of seedlings increased significantly under exposure to NaF. The results of this study clearly indicate that C. apetalus and C. quitensis are highly resistant to NaF stress.